Summer 1960 MLK spoke in Tulsa. I got to go and hear him! (I was 20, home from college)

[bobbieinok]

I never saw this mentioned anywhere and wondered sometimes if I'd dreamt it. Then I saw it mentioned in Hannibal Johnson's book on Black Wall Street. And I met a black man who had also been there

I had heard of MLK during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. When I saw he was coming to town, I asked my dad if he could help. One of his colleagues at the university was in the local NAACP and was going. He agreed to take me

It was awesome. There were 6 of us in our group, the only white people there, and we sat way up in the balcony of the black church in North Tulsa, Greenwood area. It was the largest venue for the meeting. Of course none of the buildings in 'white Tulsa' was available

I hate to admit I don't remember a thing he said. I just remember the pageantry of the whole thing---the blacks in attendance dressed up, many in lodge attire. And King being escorted in.

I have no idea why King's visit here is so little known

[redstatebluegirl]

1. Because if they could they would wipe history

clean of any Black history in Tulsa. I had Black students who told me they never set foot in the white part of town it was dangerous for them. Tulsa is interesting that is for sure. They buried the massacre.

[bobbieinok]

2. Spring 89 I was on ORU campus about 4.30. Only saw black students on campus

Blew me away. Would never have seen a black in that part of town (81 and Lewis) when I graduated from HS in Tulsa in 57, yr schools desegregated. And whites moved south and east to the suburbs and out of Tulsa district

[panader0]

3. Very cool bobbieinok.